Central Pennsylvania's 717 area code makes a call for help

Lily Tomlin doesn’t perform her Ernestine the Operator sketch too often any more.

And that’s likely a good thing. The character doesn’t connect well with the kids: What’s a telephone operator? And where do those wires go exactly?

Ernestine’s fall from favor came with the rush of technology that took people from party lines and rotary phones to texting and voice-activated dialing.

But today the joke might be on us. So many people have either moved into the 717 area code or purchased additional phone lines for their cells or computers that this region has nearly run out of available numbers. More are needed.

The last time this nearly happened in central Pennsylvania — roughly 10 years ago — the 717 region was split geographically and the northern half was dubbed the 570 area code to create more numbers in both regions. This method kept intact the notion that you knew who and where you were calling when you dialed the phone.

That idea, however, might be following Ernestine out the door. (In fact, the 570 area is facing a shortage of available numbers, too.)

The PUC has smartly stated that it wants to keep the total number of area codes within the state to a minimum. But today’s connected world has forced a jump past geographic concerns as the sole factor for area codes defined by regions.

The new thinking — and worth serious consideration as a solution by the state Public Utility Commission — involves laying a new set of numbers over parts or all of an existing area code. This would mean that people moving into those areas would be assigned numbers under a new area code.

Mobility and portability have changed the game. An overlay presents a new approach while keeping the old area codes intact by region.

Fracturing existing area codes into smaller and smaller pieces just doesn’t make sense. The state has too many municipalities — and maybe counties — because a similar reasoning was followed for decades.

The tradeoff with the overlay idea will be a new need to dial 10 digits to call a neighbor. (But, of course, voice technology might soon make that obsolete as well.)

As for Tomlin, don’t sweat what this might mean for her comedic career. Now you can buy Ernestine’s signature “One Ringy-Dingy” as a ringtone for your cell phone. That's progress.